The Uber Adventures Chapter 5

by Amazon Moon 1999C.

See chapter one for disclaimers.

"I will not forget you," Abby whispered, reading the new poem she had written in her private journal. She held her gaze on the peacefully slumbering figure of her lover beside her.

"I remember the nights I watched as you lay sleeping

Your body gripped by some far away dream

Well I was so scared and so in love then

And so lost in all of you that I had seen

But no one ever talked in the darkness

No voice ever added fuel to the fire

No light ever shone in the doorway

Deep in the hollow of earthly desires

But if in some dream there was brightness

If in some memory some sort of sign

And flesh be revived in the shadows

Blessed our bodies would lay so entwined

And I will not forget you

Nor will I ever let you go

I will not forget you

I remember when you left in the morning at daybreak

So silent you stole from my bed

To go back to the one who possesses your soul

And I back to the life that I dread.

So I ran like the wind to the water

Please don't leave me again I cried

And I threw bitter tears at the ocean

But all that came back was the tide..."

Abby gently closed her book and brushed the hair off Dena’s forehead. How peaceful she slept, Abby smiled, feeling warm and loved within. She felt so lucky to have Dena as her partner.

"Good night Dena," The redhead kissed her cheek before lying down beside her. "I love you."

But that night as Abby lay her head upon her pillow, there were no dreams.

Lyn Wolfe stared up at the vast wide sky, studying the fascinating clouds as she waited for Kee to join her. The young doctor lay quite comfortably on their checkered picnic spread with their picnic basket beside her.

She grinned and remembered the fun the two of them had in Kee’s kitchen, trying to pack some decent munchies into the basket. But they had gotten distracted of course, and made out on the counter.

"I want it now," Lyn grinned as she remembered Keely’s flushed look, desire pleading in her brown eyes. "Oh god, you make me crazy Lyn!"

The doctor followed orders naturally. She worked to please. Lyn was beginning to wonder if they should once again shift the picnic date to another day when Keely had a triple orgasm and after a two-minute break, declared they were going to be late on schedule. It was things like that about her that Lyn loved so much.

Lyn sighed as she felt the warm breeze run through her floppy hair. She needed a haircut. It was getting a bit shaggy. She heard the sound of footsteps upon the grass but didn’t bother opening her eyes. She smiled. "That took you awhile to get the car parked."

"Not really," an unfamiliar cold voice answered unexpectedly, startling her like an icy hand giving her gut a sudden squeeze. She bolted up from her comfortable position and looking around, realised she was surrounded by five men in suits that meant they meant business.

Lyn narrowed her eyes and tried looking unthreatened. Worry pounded on her temples. They didn’t get Kee did they? Obviously these guys were working for the Mafia. "What do you want?"

"Just acting on orders, Doctor," the one who had spoke answered in his oily voice, a sneer on his thin lips. Lyn noticed a buldge under the jacket, which only could mean a hidden gun. "Come with us and no one will get hurt."

The dark haired woman struggled with the men, determined not to go anywhere just like that. "NO! I’m not going with you!"

"My orders come from the Mafia," The angry suit hissed as he whipped up his gun and pointed it at her. He gave another nasty sneer as he pointed it at her. "Who does yours come from?"

"From me you fucking asshole!" an all too familiar voice replied sharply as a blow nearly knocked him off his Italian shoes. Strange, Lyn allowed herself a half grin. That voice had been so different… with deep hunger for sex just this morning.

The doctor watched as her partner took on the guys, aiming deadly attacks upon them before they could even move in on her. Keely Stone leap effortlessly and did a mighty wheelhouse kick, toppling two men over. With a deadly snarl, she knocked the other to his knees with a swift kick to the groin. Lyn was just about to embrace the furious woman when she felt herself being grabbed roughly by the neck. She felt the cold steel of the gun pressed against her neck. The ragged breathing of the sneering suit brushed against her ear, making her cringe with disgust.

"Don’t be stupid," he warned them both as he pressed the gun harder into her neck. "All the Mafia wants is to see you Kee, then you can have your friend back."

Lyn had never seen Kee look so cross before. The blonde woman gave an ugly snarl and her face contorted with fury. Lyn could have sworn the man shook. "You expect me to believe what that asshole said? Get real rat, I worked in your side before. He’ll kill us both if I don’t do what he tells me to, that’s what."

"Don’t come any nearer or I’ll shoot!" he shouted as he pressed the gun harder. Lyn grimaced and found it was getting harder to breathe.

"You don’t have the balls to," Kee smirked as she advanced. "Now drop the gun and give me back my friend." She smiled but her eyes were cold. And they never left his own.

The fallen suits were now getting up. Kee was losing patience. "Drop the gun you shithead. I don’t have time for your silly little games!"

That did it. A single shot fired and Lyn felt an intense pain in her thigh. He had shot her. A crimson patch was growing on her jeans. Kee looked equally flabbergasted.

"I warned you," The henchman pressed the nozzle to Lyn’s paling cheek. "But you didn’t listen."

Kee was now aware she was surrounding by four wary suits who now had their guns at her. She licked her lips. She hated when they caught her like this… when she was so helpless. "What does he want?"

"He gave his word that he won’t hurt her… as long as you listen."

"Fine."

"He’s coming back on Friday evening. He’ll see you then."

"The usual place?"

"Warehouse 51."

"Touch a hair on her head and you’re dead."

"Gotcha."

Kee watched helplessly as they took her lover away. She felt her heartbreak when she saw her lover’s eyes. The expression could have killed her. She hadn’t been able to protect the woman she loved from her past. Alone on the hill, Kee screamed with rage before falling to her knees.

"How’s the coffee?" Dena asked as Abby took a sip from the cup she had made. The taller woman gave a shy half grin and ducked her head when Abby beamed and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Perfect," Abby smiled as she drank down the rich liquid. She placed the cup down and was about to say something when a series of pain racked her small body. Dena noticed immediately and caught hold of her.

"Again?" Concerned blue eyes lined with worry looked into moist green ones which reflected pain. "Must’ve been the third time this week."

"The doc gave me some pills," Abby grimaced as she leaned against the wide chest of her well-toned lover. "Besides, the pain is going."

"I’m really worried, you know," Dena sighed as she mussed up her lover’s hair, smelling her sweet fragrance. "You could’ve seen Lyn instead of that doctor."

"Nah," Abby shook her head slightly but it hurt anyway. It hurt everywhere. "Don’t wanna trouble her… besides, I’m getting better anyway. I’ll be fine."

Liar, she thought as another series of bolting pain ran through her again. She wouldn’t get better, she knew. People with her sickness usually died. Like some of her family members. Cancer always lived with the Piers. They were good friends.

It had been three months now, that she learnt she was in the third stage of the disease. Too late, the cells had spread. The doctor gave her two years more, max. It wasn’t fair. But she wasn’t about to complain. That was life, wasn’t it?

"Just make sure you don’t skip your doses okay?" Dena kissed her hair as she poured her a glass of warm water for the pills.

"Okay," the younger woman said weakly as she swallowed her painkillers. Chemotherapy was out of the question. She wasn’t going to waste time and money on it. She’ll just live like any normal person. Until it kills her.

Dena’s phone rang suddenly, bringing Abby’s attention to the call. Dena flipped the cellphone and answered the call with her familiar deep "Hullo".

Abby warmed her clammy hands on her the warm coffee cup as she studied Dena’s face. Something was up. Might as well, she thought, it was time they got their butts out of Dena’s cousin Betsy’s apartment.

"They took her?"

Abby’s green eyes widened and her pain momentarily forgotten. Who, she mouthed but Dena only narrowed her eyes.

"All right, we’ll meet you in about an hour." Dena ended the call and slammed her phone on the table, frustration written on her face. "That fucking bastard."

"What is it, Dena?" Abby asked, her fingers lacing her lover’s own.

"They took Lyn," Dena growled. "He wants to meet Kee. It’s an exchange deal. You see, to leave the Organisation, you had to go through the sadistic ritual called the Backdoor. Everyone torments you. You get beaten to a pulp and get all bloody. But as long as you manage to get out of the house, you’re free." Dena sighed. "But not many can survive this test. I nearly died."

"So the Mafia wants Kee to go through the Backdoor?" Abby frowned, wishing the pain would leave her aching bones. "In exchange for her freedom and for Lyn?"

"I’m afraid so," Dena nodded, running her fingers through her dark mane of hair. "And Kee needs our help."

They rode on Argo to the café Keely wanted to see them in. Abby held on tighter to Dena’s waist and wished that they could slow down. She felt like throwing up back there. She was running low on pills.

Dena parked Argo by the curb and the two entered the murky looking café. Kee was already there, a half-drained cup of tea in front of her.

"Waited long?" Dena asked her friend as she sat opposite the sad looking creature.

"No," Keely said distractedly as she stared into her cup. "I was early."

"We’re sorry about what happened." Abby touched Kee’s tanned elbow. "But don’t you worry. Everything’s going to work out."

Kee gave a wicker of a smile and Abby knew she was grateful. The hand, which hid under a black leather glove, picked up the menu. "You want anything?"

"Not hungry," Abby muttered as a sharp wave of pain hit her again.

"I’ll just have a coffee- black," Dena decided. She realised her lover was in pain again. "Abby…"

"Dena," the girl gasped. "Do me a favour- get this prescribtion from the pharmacy." She handled her a crumple note from her bag. "Hurry."

The dark woman left immediately.

Keely frowned, the end of her dark eyebrows reaching her nose. "You’ve lost a lot of weight Abby. You look paler too. What’s wrong with you?"

Dena burst into the pharmacy, making a quick beeline to the counter. The impressive six footer easily gained the attention of the pharmacist behind the counter. She passed the scrawled note to him. "I need some of that."

"For a friend?" The bespectacled pharmacist asked as he peered at the scrawl through his thick glasses.

"Yeah," Dean nodded, wishing he would hurry. "It’s an emergency."

The small man nodded as he went to collect the familiar looking pills. He sighed as he handed her a bottle. "It should be. Send your friend my regards. The pain cancer brings can be unbearable."

Dena’s fingers lost its grip and the glass bottle fell to the floor, scattering the coloured capsules across the room. Her fingers trembled and she paled. A sinking sensation of dread sunk in and she felt her throat tighten. "What?"

"It is cancer isn’t it?" The pharmacist repeated, alarmed at Dena’s reaction. "This is one of the most powerful painkillers around- only used for those in the terminal stages of cancer."

Dena felt her world shatter.

The rain had hit but Dena felt worst inside. As she gripped Abby’s package in her large hands, she made her way to the café. She was glad it rained. It would hide her tears.

She was a block away from the café when she realised a fight was happening inside. Fear penetrating her, Dena broke into a run and entered the place.

Keely was busy with three men while Abby was handling two. She managed to hit one with her stunstaff, knocking him out. She could have easily gotten the other one but she suddenly lost her footing and swayed.

He could have taken his chance at her but Dena took care of that. Holding him but the wrist of the hand which held a metal pipe, Dena squeezed hard until she heard his bones pop. The gangster was yelping in pain of course and was begging for mercy. Keely had finished hers and they all ran out like dogs.

"Who sent you?" Dena demanded as she tightened her grip.

"I’m not telling you," the punk grunted.

"Don’t be a fucking asshole," Dena scolded as she kicked his ribs. "Tell me!"

"No!" He screamed as he coughed out blood.

"You asked for it," Kee snarled as she brought her foot upon his back, crushing it.

The gangster howled with pain. He sobbed and made a messy puddle of blood. "The M-m-mafia."

"Good boy," Kee purred as she rubbed his head. Before he could blink, she brought his head down hard on the floor, knocking him out cold.

Dena noticed Abby leaning against the wall, her face pale and bloodless. She had barely reached her when she toppled. The pain had been too much. The disease was eating away her body.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Dena whispered, fighting back tears as she cradled the woman in her arms. "Why?"

Instead of taking Abby to the hospital, Dena took her to Sal’s lab. Sal was a friend of hers, a businessman who provided the most fantastic tools for people of her trade. He had an underground lab with multi-facilities built under a subway. Hardly anyone knew of its existence.

"Where’s this place?" Keely asked as she followed Dena in. The dark woman carried her lover carefully in her powerful arms. She kept silent but ventured in with a steady pace.

After turning numerous corners, they finally reached the gate of Sal’s facility. The worker at the front desk looked up and realised the seriousness of the situation. He got up and gestured for them to follow him. They kept silent as they walked through the corridors. Footsteps echoed in the silence and Dena could barely feel her lover breathing.

Opening a door to let them in, the kindly man indicated that Abby should rest on the bed while he get the doctor and Sal. Dena barely nodded as she settled Abby down. She looked so weak and frail.

Dena pulled a chair beside the bed and sat down, in deep thought as her blue blues were locked unto her lover’s face. Keely closed her eyes. She hadn’t known she could sympathize with Dena but she did. She knew how she felt. The hurt could have been her own.

The door opened shortly later and Sal came in, followed by a short balding man in a white lab shirt. Dena’s eyes averted immediately. "Sal, you’ve got to help her. She’s all that I have!"

Sal, a round-faced bearded man in his early fifties, gave her shoulder a squeeze as the physician examined the nearly lifeless girl. "Doctor Pert will do his best, Dena. Right now I think you should let your friend rest."

He nodded at Keely and showed them the door, following them out before closing the door. Dena didn’t want to leave her partner. She was just about to ask if she could just stay by her side when Sal reminded her about Project LRA.

"It’s almost ready, from what my scientists told me," Sal told Dena as they walked the quiet corridors. "The clone is growing almost normally. If it works out, she would be… ready in a couple of hours."

"Clone?" Keely raised an eyebrow as they entered a high security area. "What’s going on?"

Dena sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "My buddy Lesley got shot the last time remember? You killed her in the last shoot-out we had when you captured Abby from us."

Keely looked away in shame. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Well I couldn’t get Les any medical help since she was already clinically dead," Dena went on. "But I managed to get a strand of her hair on my jacket somehow so I sent it to Sal to have her cloned. I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing… but it didn’t seem fair that she didn’t get the chance to live her life to the fullest."

"Well now she can," Sal murmured as they came to a stop. Before them stood a large cylindrical tank full of clear liquid. A pink object was curled into a ball inside a yellowish watery substance which encased it.

"What the hell?" Keely wondered aloud. Dena was just about to ask the same when a smart looking black woman in long lab coat approached them with a clipboard in hand.

"This is Dr. Reese White," Sal introduced the intelligent scientist to the two.

"Nice to meet you," Dena smiled as she shook her hand hastily. "Dena Ambers."

"Keely Stone," The blonde counterpart said as they shook hands.

"Good to meet you," Reese nodded.

"How’s the clone, Reese?" Sal asked the scientist. "Everything all right here?"

"Perfect Sal," Reese smiled, showing beautiful white teeth. "As you can see the protective fluid around her is liable to break any moment and she will be, what we simply call it, born."

Dena stared at the blob moving in the water and realised the human inside was actually moving around the fluid. Keely just frowned.

"Through the scans, we have made sure everything is fine," Reese White continued as she read her notes. "Her organs are all functioning and bone structure appears 100% normal."

"Will there be any memories?" Dena asked, cocking her head to a side as she pondered the thought.

Reese White adjusted her glasses. "Well, we aren’t quite sure yet. But one garuntee is that this clone #33 will have a much longer life span than the clones before her. She’ll live like a normal human being. Only that she was born an adult."

Keely stepped nearer towards the glass cylinder which held the clone. The being inside the blob squirmed as Keely pressed her face closer. It moved a lot, as if in a struggle to break free.

"I wouldn’t stand that close if I were you," Reese warned. But it was too late.

In a blink of an eye, the water tank burst and an angry woman fell to the floor, wet, naked and angry. She stared furiously at Keely and made a grab for her. Dena quickly went to intervene between the two before all hell broke loose.

"Les!" Dena cried out as she stood before the dripping woman. "It’s me Dena, remember?"

The clone of the ex-cop stared into Dena’s blue eyes and felt a familiarity which stirred somewhere in the hidden corners of her brain. Lesley cocked her head and stared at Dena for a full minute, racking her memory to tell her who she was.

"It’s me Les," Dena smiled as she walked towards the naked woman. "Dena Ambers. We were buddies since childhood. We practically lived just next door."

The clone continued to stare at Dena in an odd way, her head cocked to one side as if trying to recall a distant dream.

"I don’t know if you remember but… there was this time when we were hardly seven, and we tried kidnapping Sourface Simon’s hamster babies and got caught redhanded when he found them in our pockets later?" Dena searched blank eyes for a sign of remembrance. "His wacko father chased us around town with a plank of wood and we got a lot of hell afterward."

Lesley suddenly lifted a hand to touch a spot on her arm, a peculiar look on her face. Dena smiled with renewed hope. "Yes, that’s where he hit you."

"Dena," Lesley whispered finally and the dark woman could finally see a trace of the old Lesley in the new one. They embraced like two long lost sisters.

"I better get her some clothes," Reese remarked as she walked towards the exit. "She’s dripping all over." Sal just stood there, admiring the view.

Lesley caught sight of Keely suddenly and pulled a dark frown. She pointed an accusing finger at the blonde woman. "I know you from somewhere… and you aren’t a good person. You… you tried to kill me."

Dena wondered if she should actually let the clone know about her true origins. She decided not. She held Lesley’s hand firmly. "Les, she’s Keely Stone. She used to be on the other side but she’s now with us…"

"She tried to kill me!" Lesley shouted, nearly losing control. "That bitch shot me!"

"Listen to me Les!" Dena pulled her arms to her side. "She’s no longer that person. She’s good now. And she needs our help."

"Our help?" Lesley echoed a look of confusion in her eyes. "How?"

"We need to help get her lover back."

Lesley was fitted into some of Dena’s clothes, fitting them snugly as if they were meant for her. Kee couldn’t help but think they looked so much like sisters.

"You sure she ready for this?" Dena asked Reese, as Lesley pulled on one of Dena’s jackets.

Reese nodded. "Confident."

"Right then, let’s get going people!" Lesley grinned, eager to get at the action. Dena cast Sal a look, asking him to look after Abby while she’s gone.

Lesley rode pillion on Dena’s bike while Keely took her car. Racing fast to the hidden Warehouse 51 on Timbanco Street, they already hatched their plan. Kee would go through the ‘Backdoor’ while Dena and Lesley took on the bad guys when Keely couldn’t take it anymore.

The car seemed strangely silent without Lyn’s chatter. Kee flipped the switch of her radio and one of Sarah McLachlan’s songs waffled balefully through her. It was one of their songs.

Frowning, Kee stepped on the accelerator, forcing Dena to keep up with her 145 km/h pace. She had to get to her lover soon.

Lyn tugged once again at the tight bonds that held her captive. She had been skillfully roped to an old wooden beam in some godawful warehouse. Her injured thigh had been tied savagely with old rages. She frowned and hoped the wound wouldn’t turn septic. The bullet, she suspected, had been removed. But it still hurt like hell.

"No point trying," a voice filled with mockery echoed as footsteps approached. Lyn squinted against the dim light and saw the Mafia with two of his men behind him. The doctor couldn’t help but feel a deep revolt against his greasy voice and long, unkempt hair. He had a dark goatee which he was fond of.

"Let me go!" Lyn hissed as she wriggled fiercely, spitting at his face.

"I will." The Mafia solemnly promised. "…Once Keely settles what she owes me, I’ll release you."

A string of vulgarities spewed out of Lyn’s mouth, even amazing her at her wide knowledge.

One of the suits received a call from his cell phone. Lyn tried straining her ears to catch what he was saying but failed. The suit replaced the slim phone and whispered something into his boss’ ear.

"Hah," The Mafia snorted. "Keely has been spotted approaching. You’ll see her again, doctor. A nice fleeting glance before she dies…"

Lyn would have screamed at him if he hadn’t suddenly given her a strong kick on her wounded thigh, which knocked her senseless. The last thing she saw before she blacked out were stars surrounding the face of the woman she loved so much.

Dena and Lesley had separated from Kee once they reached the Organisation’s area. They had stopped by one of Sal’s smaller branches and got some little things they’d need. Keely went ahead to meet the Mafia.

"You know the plan?" Dena asked as they scaled the roof of the warehouse. Lesley nodded her head as the two made sure no one saw them. Lesley fixed two time bombs against the walls and punched in the time to twenty minutes.

Dena peeked inside. Kee was already inside with the Mafia. At his snap, a herd of about twenty men, all who had served her and beaten her sore before, entered the grounds, sneering sadistically at her like hungry wolves at a lost lamb.

"Set," Lesley murmured and Dena shifted her attention to her partner. "We’ve got twenty minutes before this place explodes."

The dark woman gave a nod, her nimble fingers moving quickly as she adjusted their ropes. At Kee’s command, they would both move into the interior of the warehouse and open fire.

"Extra ammo?" Dena asked as she loaded her rifle. She checked to see if she had everything else.

"Check," Lesley answered, adjusting her strap. Both of the women carried several deadly grenades.

"Right then," Dena narrowed her cold blue eyes as she studied the inside area through the window. "We’ll wait for her command."

Keely stood facing the Mafia some ten metres away. The men who had once worked for her stood in two rows, making the line she had to walk through before she was free to officially leave.

"Come to Papa," Aric smiled, and made a ‘come here’ gesture with his finger. Kee exhaled the smoke from her last cigarette, aware that Lyn was tied to a beam behind Aric. She dropped the cigarette to the ground and killed it.

"Well then," Kee smiled as she looked down at the man who had been her ex-employer, through her dark shades. "Let’s finish this shit."

"Gladly," the Mafia raised his thick eyebrows as he waved his smoking cigar for his men to get prepared. "Just take a step when you’re ready."

Keely glanced at her lover, knocked out cold and bounded to the beam and scowled. Her knee hadn’t been given the right attention, only merely swabbed with a bloodstained rag. She started walking down the line. The rule was that she wasn’t supposed to defend herself. The men were armed with clubs and heavy metal pipes and were allowed to inflict heavy blows on her. She just had to keep walking and not hit back.

Keely grunted when she thought how easy it would have been if she could just block the blows. She could have wrenched limbs off, break a couple of necks and crash their dumbass heads together.

She had been clubbed with sticks on her back, chest, shoulder and knee. Still she kept going down the line, blood and bruises showing on. She noticed a familiar face, one of her ex-personal assistants. He carried a mean looking rusty pipe. With a vicious sneer on his thick lips, he brought it down, hard on her skull. The last thing Kee saw as she closed her eyes, were dancing stars before everything became crimson red and then black.

"C’mon!" Dena hissed to Lesley as Keely finally fell after a violent hit on the head. She leapt through the window, the rope securely tied to her waist. Lesley followed after her, both armed with their guns.

Without warning, both opened fire at the men as they traveled down the line, screaming with evil relish as they hit the ground with both feet and quickly freed themselves of the ropes.

The rest of the unfallen men quickly hid behind crates, dropping their sticks and reaching for their more deadlier weapons. Pretty soon, people were aiming fire.

Lesley took aim and fired as she ran for cover amidst the big crates. She hit target whenever she fired.

Dena realised the Mafia was leaving. She grunted as she leapt above the stacks of crates, heading towards the leaving trio. "Oh no you don’t," She snarled as she sprayed bullets at them. The two suits at his side tried defending him but they were just no match for the angry woman and her deadly rifle.

All three fell to the ground, a pool of blood forming rapidly, under Dena’s vicious fire attack. The dark woman took a moment to relish the sight of her ex-boss realising he had been shot at as he fell on his knees before toppling over. She smirked at the sight of bewilderment and fear on his features before he fell dead.

She suddenly felt a sharp pain on her side and realised she had just been hit. She turned and fired, killing the thug who had shot her at the hip. Grimacing, she cursed as she made her way down, shooting all she could see. Lesley was doing fine.

Dena made her way towards Lyn, who by now, was stirring. Flipping the hidden knife she had in the secret compartment of her boot, Dena cut ropes that tied her. The weak woman fell into her arms immediately and Dena laid her down behind a crate for safety. Kee lay unconscious a distance away, badly bruised and bleeding.

The dark woman glanced at Lesley. She caught her eye. ‘Ten minutes’ Lesley mouthed to her before taking aim at a man who had foolishly tried to surprise her with his pipe.

Dena grimaced. The pain at her hip was getting to her. She shook Lyn, keeping a lookout for anyone who attempted sneaking up on them. "Lyn, wake up!"

The doctor groggily opened her eyes, blinking a bit before managing to focus her gaze at her friend. "Dena?" She saw the red stain of blood that stained her friend’s blue jeans. "Is that blood?"

"We’re in the midst of a crisis here…," Dena told her urgently, pushing away the question. "You’ve got to get Keely out of here before this place blows up. She needs medical attention- fast."

Lyn sneaked a peak and saw her lover on the floor. She sniffled a sob and Dena aimed a bullet, just in time, at a man who had spotted them.

"She’s not going to make it," Lyn realised as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Dena’s shoulders heaved, her rifle at her thigh. "I’m sorry."

"Don’t worry about us," Lyn told her gently. "Just leave us alone… I know what to do."

"Be careful," Dena frowned. She passed the doctor a small pistol. "Here, take this. You know how to use it right?"

There was an explosion that rocked the floor and Dena almost lost her balance. Must have been Lesley using her grenades, Dena realised. Lyn nodded her head. "Yes, I’ve used one before."

Casting a glance at her wristwatch, Dena realised they barely had five minutes left. "You’ve got five minutes," She told the doctor before scooting over to help her partner.

Lyn sat impassively for a brief moment, feeling hopeless. She glanced at her unconscious lover lying on the ground and cried. She suddenly noticed a man crawling up to Kee with a knife in his hand. Raising the gun to his head, Lyn pulled the trigger, blowing his brains out.

She quickly crawled over, amidst another explosion, towards her lover. The pain in her thigh was so painful that it had numbed the whole leg. Checking that the coast was clear, Lyn pulled Kee back behind the crates where they were safe from the eyes of their attackers.

Cradling her lover like a child, Lyn wept as she ran her fingers lightly over Kee’s nasty wounds. She checked her pulse, it was weak. Lifting an eyelid to check, the doctor got worried. There was a nasty open wound on her head which was bleeding quite a bit. If Kee was to survive this, she might just die when they got to a hospital. If not, she might just remain a vegetable for the rest of her life.

"I’m sorry," Lyn whispered as she hugged the woman tightly, tears of anger and sadness mixed with Kee’s blood. "I’m so sorry Kee."

Dena made her way towards her partner who was standing behind a crate, reloading her rifle. She noticed a sneaky thug clambering on the tops of the crates nearby, making his way towards where Lesley was, his gun all ready for her.

"Watch out!" Dena yelled to her friend as she aimed and took fire at the man, bringing him painfully down to the ground in a pool of blood. Lesley was still in the midst of reloading.

She noticed Lesley looking up suddenly, horror written all over her face. She turned but wasn’t quick enough for the bullet. She felt her body hit the floor and her left shoulder hurting like crazy. Pain shot through like painful, electric arrows.

"Aric?" Dena gasped when she realised it was the Mafia himself who had shot her. Didn’t she kill him?

"Did you think you can kill the God of War?" Aric screamed derangely as he welded his gun. "Do you think you can kill me off like that with one bullet?"

Dena scowled, her eyes a cold steel blue. She raised her arm and fired at the space just between his eyes. "Yes."

She only squeezed once but a wild firing of bullets hit him and blood splurted from where his bullet-protective vest had failed to cover. He toppled over on his side, a huge gaping hole apparent on his forehead, the life sucked out of him.

Dena turned to thank her friend who returned her a wink. Dena smiled and got to her feet. One minute left to get out of this shit house. She glanced around for any sight of Lyn or Kee. She didn’t see them so she presumed they had left.

"C’mon," Dena yelled to Lesley as she made a dash for the door. Lesley threw a final grenade and followed after Dena. They hoped onto Argo and quickly rode away. Seconds later, a loud boom echoed, followed by another and the place was engulfed in angry smoke and hungry fire.

Lyn grasped the fingers of her lover’s gloved hand and kissed them tenderly. She heard Dena yell to her partner and they were soon making their getaway. The place was going to blow soon, Lyn realised.

She gripped the limp body of the only woman in the world she loved and kissed her lips. "I’m not leaving without you. We’ll leave this place together… we’ll find each other somehow Kee… I love you."

Two loud explosions, which shortened her words, tore the place apart. The doctor closed her eyes and saw brightness around her. Keely stood beside her, all their physical injuries gone. She took her hand into hers and together, walked towards the light.

Dena rode pillion behind Lesley as they headed back to Sal’s lab. Dena felt the blood draining from her wounds as she clung to Lesley’s back. Somehow she had a sinking feeling that Lyn and Kee never left the place. But it was too late for that now.

They finally reached the lab. Demanding to see Abby despite her wounds, Dena burst into the room where her lover lay. The rest decided to leave the two together.

In the quite privacy, Dena silently walked towards the young woman in the stiff bed. Tubes ran through her veins and nose. She looked so small, so vulnerable. Dena tried holding back her tears but couldn’t.

"You've got to take me with you, don't leave me here…please."

The woman on the bed murmured in her sleep, rolling as if in a dream. "I wanted to escape. I wanted you to take me with you…"

Dena swallowed as she advanced. Those words sounded familiar. Abby had pleaded with her back then. She had wanted to follow her, to leave the drab life she knew.

"I admire you even more." The small figure on the bed continued. "…You're trying to atone for your mistakes... you're working for the greater good now. You should be proud of yourself. I am."

"Abby?" The dark woman whispered as she nudged the drowsy woman gently.

The frail woman stirred and fluttered her eyelids before turning her surprised gaze at her blood-splattered fighter. "Dena?"

Abby reached out a weak, shaky hand to touch lover. "What happened?"

"Don’t you worry," Dena whispered as she brought the frail hand to her cheek. She kissed it tenderly. "I’m all right."

Abby swallowed and her eyes went red with tears. "I’m so sorry Dena. I just didn’t know how to tell you."

"It’s okay Abby," Dena whispered back as she stared into those green eyes she had so loved. "I know."

"I’m just so sorry this has to happen," Abby cried. "I know I’m going to die…"

"No!" Dena almost shouted. She grasped her lover’s hand firmly in hers and shook her head. "You’ll get better. The doctors here are good… they’ll cure you and you’ll be okay again. And when you’re better, we can continue our travels on the road-"

"Dena," Abby croaked as she blinked back tears. She used whatever left of her energy to squeeze her lover’s trembling hands. "I know I’m going to die. I’ve accepted that. Why can’t you? You’ve made my life worth living Dena… I’m just so glad I followed you that day… in you, I found what I was sent to search for in this life… love."

"Oh Abby," Dena cried as she kissed her hand feverishly.

"I love you Dena," Abby smiled. "Thank you for… showing me." Severe pain racked her body again and Dena watched helplessly as Abby winced at the eating pain. "I have a strong feeling Dena, we might just meet each other again in our next lives…"

"Abby," Dena whispered as she traced the outline of her lover’s jaw. "Even in death, Abby, I will never leave you."

"For me too," the small woman attempted a brave smile as the intense pain swept through her body. "…And that’s a promise."

Dena smiled as she stroked her cool forehead, which was damp with her perspiration. "I love you."

"I know," Abby sighed, her eyes closed as she relished the loving touch of her partner. She suddenly opened her eyes, taking in the familiar sight of her lover. "Can you sing me a song, Dena?"

"Sure honey," Dena smiled as she swallowed tears. "What do you want?"

"My mother used to sing me Sinatra whenever I was hurt or upset," Abby whispered. It was getting harder to talk. "…will you?"

"Of course," Dena kissed her forehead and Abby closed her eyes, taking refuge in Dena’s comforting arms.

For hours, Dena sang all the songs she knew for the woman she loved. Her own physical wounds all forgotten, the dark woman was only vaguely aware of her dying lover’s presence and her own. They were shut in their own world.

Abby was sleeping in Dena’s arms, her eyes shut peacefully like a sleeping baby and her lips curled in a peaceful smile. Dena stopped rocking the woman in her arms. She knew she was dead.

"Abby?" Dena croaked, her voice choking as she shook the girl gently. "Abby?"

She started shaking her harder and harder but there was just no response.

"No," Dena wailed as remorse filled her soul. She was so young. It just wasn’t fair. "No…" Dena clutched the lifeless body close as she wept. A deep aching feeling tore at her breast.

"Even in death Abby," Dena whispered as she lay her lover on the bed. "I will never leave you."

She stood up and drew her gun, pressing the hard nuzzle to her temple. A simple shot and her world went crimson and then… nothing.

[UNIVERSITI DU SOLEIL –2016 A.D]

Everyone Victoria knew was buzzing about some new kid in school. "Who is this new kid exactly?" Vic asked her girl friends as they walked through the lawn, towards the school gate. "It’s like everyone’s talking about her."

"I heard that she’s going to be taking some classes with us," the girl named Candy spoke as she blew her disgusting bubble gum the colour of seaweed. Candy was always eating stuff like that, claiming it was rich in Vitamin E.

"Apparently she’s done time before," Emma, one of the biggest flirts in town, cringed and made a sour face. "For some violent crime like breaking her ex-Dean’s nose, probably."

All the girls, except Victoria laughed like it was a really funny joke. Victoria sighed inwardly as she tossed her dark hair across her wide shoulders. Sometimes, she felt, she was mixing with the wrong crowd.

"The worst thing is," Nadia, who was her rich daddy’s little girl, whispered to them like it was some secret conspiracy. "Is that she’s one big DYKE!"

"Ewwww…," the girls went, all again, except for Victoria, who rolled her dazzling blue eyes in boredom. They were just so shallow sometimes. She had been told she had some family members up the line that have been lesbians… but what was wrong with it anyway?

"Hey Vic, what’s up with you?" Nadia demanded as she tugged at her friend’s soft coloured lilac blouse. "You’ve been so quiet."

"Nothing new," Emma snickered. "She’s always on the quiet side."

"Yeah yeah," Victoria sighed as the three giggled. A certain boy with rugged good looks walked by in the latest fashion- tight silver pants with leather trimmings, showing his firm tight ass as well as succeeding in making the three turn.

"Ohmygawd! Maxwell Guvinche!"

"Doesn’t he just look sooooo yummy?"

"You bet! I hope he’s asking me to prom!"

Victoria barely shared their excitement. What she saw made her heart flutter and do little somersaults. An unfamiliar face smiled at her as the good looking stranger made her way towards her.

It was as if the rest of the world was blocked out. All Vic could concentrate on was the new kid walking towards her. She had the most amazing eyes she had every seen. They were a sensitive emerald green which gave Vic a hunch that she might be some kind of poet or writer. Her blonde hair was cropped short, hidden under a faded cap. She was wearing comfortable blue denim jeans frayed in places and a white t-shirt that was cropped short enough to show off her firm, trim abs. Victoria noted several earrings on her ears.

"Hi," the stranger smiled warmly as she extended Victoria a tanned hand, adjusting her army green sling bag over her rugged shoulder. "My name’s Corky. I’m the new kid on the block."

As Victoria took her hand, she felt she must have known Corky all her life.

THE END.